Obama called top Republicans to discuss looming cuts: White House

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama spoke to Republican congressional leaders on Thursday in the first sign of movement toward heading off across-the-board government spending cuts that could go into effect in a week.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president had placed calls to House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The conversations were "good," Carney said, but he declined to provide details.

An estimated $85 billion in across-the-board "sequestration" cuts are due to go into effect March 1 unless Congress acts. Obama and others have warned that the cuts could hurt economic growth and lead to hundreds of thousands of job losses.

Aides for the congressional Republican leaders confirmed the calls but declined to discuss the content. A McConnell spokesman said it was the first outreach from Obama since the New Year's Eve fiscal cliff deal.

5. What would he cave over?

The cuts are going to happen unless Republicans do something and Republicans want the cuts..There is nothing to bargain with or for.. He certainly is not going to say go ahead and cut and we won't ask for any new revenues.. What would that get him? Republicans are going to allow sequestration to take effect and then introduce a bill to increase Defense spending by the same amount as is being cut and then dare Democrats to vote against a Defense Bill... Democrats are scared shitless of being called weak on Defense....I would bet about half will vote with Republicans on such a bill..

6. I just hope we don't end up with Chained CPI

that is my biggest fear. If it's in a deal, I hope there are enough Dems who will stick with the people and vote against any bargin that includes that. Or at least one or two who will have the guts to fillibuster.

7. That is exactly what he is going to offer

10. LOL - do you not understand?

everything is gonna be SOOO fucked, CPI will look REASONABLE!!! The lesser of many, MANY evils!!!! Why do you think it was even ever brought up??? Rest assured there will be plenty of money to waste for wars though!!!

11. Let's hope that happens!

12. People act like the President is

the whole Democratic pary. The President can't cave on anything unless the Democrats in Congress agree with it. Social Security is off the table or it will be a deathnail for any Democrat. They are not that stupid. And somebody need to set Joe Scarborough straight every time he controls a discussion surrounding this issue.

The Democrats that do go on his show act like they are scared to set this man straight because he is the host of the show. They are too passive with this man when he goes into his diatribe about Social Security or Medicare. He attachs it to the Debt everytime. That sixteen trillion dollar debt was not caused by those programs. It was caused by bad decisions by Congress and programs not paid for. That is not being said to this man when he places the focus on these programs. He is no different than any other Republican using diversive tactics off the real problem.

He trys to make people feel guilty as if they caused the problem. There was a guy on his program yesterday that showed how the Health Industry overpriced the cost of supplies and services. That is the real problem with Healthcare costs. Supply and demand is still there, but they are over priced today by a few greedy people that want profits. What they have done is monopolized the industry where you have less competition. The only real competitor is the Federal government. Once you get rid of the only real competitor, they can set the prices higher. This maybe to complex for the ordinary person to understand but people have to be educated to this.

What they are really after is destroying government involvement. If someone like Mr Scarborough really wants to have a debate, than ask Krugman on the show instead of people that agree with you. I would be glad to have that discussion with Mr Scarborough and I want be so passive either.

13. Nice political move. Keeps the republicans on the defensive and the blame for sequestration

squarely on their shoulders.

Two polls out Thursday show record support for President Obama over congressional Republicans on the sequester battle that is consuming political debate this week.

The $85 billion in spending cuts Congress hastily agreed to last year as part of a broader deal are scheduled to take effect one week from Friday. Nearly half of the poll's respondents (49 percent) would blame congressional Republicans, while 31 percent would blame Mr. Obama.

A Bloomberg National poll released Wednesday found Mr. Obama holding momentum as well. He hit his highest approval rating in this poll since his first year in office, at 55 percent. The Republican Party is at its lowest point since late 2009, with 35 percent approval.